Looking for a New Wireless Card - High Data Rates + High Gain

[Frostea23]

Background, currently using a TL-WN722 150 mbps high-gain adapter; nonetheless, there is still significant signal degradation between the router which is located in the living room, which is directly under the room my PC is in. When I run an internet speed test from a laptop in the same room as the router, it peaks at around 80-90 mbps; my desktop, however, peaks at around 30-40 mbps. Additional information: Router is rated at 300 mbps.

Anyone have any suggestions for a decent wireless card that is high gain and can get the speeds I'm looking for?

Edit: Tested again via one of my old laptops from the same room as the Desktop. Sustained 70-73 mbps.

Looking at this option: Rosewill RNX-N600UBE

[Deleted]

TP-Link TL-WDN4800

Reportedly good speeds and range.

[BruceG87]

TP-Link TL-WDN4800

Reportedly good speeds and range.

When it comes to gaming on a desktop, I highly recommend against all forms of wireless. Wireless is simply not a reliable solution. Wireless will always suffer loss in signal strength due to nearly anything in it's path, be it a wall or other electronics. That does not mean you need to have a giant ethernet cord running throughout your house.

Purchase a powerline adapter starter kit. New powerline tech is affordable and will always beat wireless in terms of distance to signal strength. Powerline is the next best thing to being hardwired into your router/modem. The idea behind it is utilizing the existing wiring in your home to transfer your connection to your PC. These kits start as low as $30 and scale as high as $140 while delivering potential transfer speeds that in fact beat a standard ethernet cable alone. Though you won't see that kind of speed except in the right circumstances.

[Ogretron]

When it comes to gaming on a desktop, I highly recommend against all forms of wireless. Wireless is simply not a reliable solution. Wireless will always suffer loss in signal strength due to nearly anything in it's path, be it a wall or other electronics. That does not mean you need to have a giant ethernet cord running throughout your house.

I game wireless and have had no problems. True, wireless isn't as reliable as a standard cable but wireless technology has changed quite a bit over the years.

Purchase a powerline adapter starter kit. New powerline tech is affordable and will always beat wireless in terms of distance to signal strength. Powerline is the next best thing to being hardwired into your router/modem. The idea behind it is utilizing the existing wiring in your home to transfer your connection to your PC. These kits start as low as $30 and scale as high as $140 while delivering potential transfer speeds that in fact beat a standard ethernet cable alone. Though you won't see that kind of speed except in the right circumstances.

I haven't had experience with this in a while, so I'm going to go off of previous experience and knowledge.

I'm sure there are still problems with setting your network up through the power line. If you're in an apartment complex or dorm room it used to be troublesome because of all the interference. Also if you're house is old (or wired badly) you'll see performance drop considerably (if it even connects). There are tons of interference and I only recommend it when cable and wireless isn't an option.

OP - I would avoid the powerline option, unless wireless just isn't working at your location. IMO I'd get a dual band router. I use a Linksys router with a Linksys adapter and I haven't experienced any sort of problems. I'm sure there's a PCI card similar to the USB one I use. My computer sits about 30 feet away (through the kitchen) from the router and it has the same speed as someone in the room, and even the same as one connected by cable.

[BruceG87]

As an electrician, I get this feeling we both have differing opinions on what constitutes old house wiring. Assuming the wiring is not bad or faulty, it will perform just fine. New powerline tech also took care of the pesky old electrical noise issues related to florescent lights, refrigerators and vacs are no longer an issue with what powerline kits you will find available for purchase.

The fact that he is connecting to a router which is in the room below where he PC is located just makes for a better argument for powerline anyways. The wiring is not traveling far. However, there is a solid floor as well as the associated wiring and electronics which will create interference when trying to maximize a wireless signal.

OP, depending on location where you live and what stores are available nearby.. you can probably purchase a powerline kit locally and give it a shot. If you don't like it, return it. Just note that some stores have a restocking fee while others do not have any return fees.

EDIT - For OP, check out this youtube clip to give you a basic idea of pro/cons of a wired, wireless and powerline connection. Of course the video is 3 years old now, and tech has evolved on both sides.

Some Cnet reviews on the better performing powerline options out right now.

Note the graph showing the reviewed speeds. The top reviewed product performed 60% faster then traditional ethernet cord.

Of course none of this matters if your house wiring is faulty. I can't make that call though, that'd be for you to determine.

[Frostea23]

The ideal solution would be to fish an Ethernet cable through the wall. I may try someday, just requires a good deal of time and patience.

We've tried power-line before; however, our house's wiring is horrendously old. Much of the wiring doesn't follow a logical pattern and isn't very reliable.

[BruceG87]

The ideal solution would be to fish an Ethernet cable through the wall. I may try someday, just requires a good deal of time and patience.

We've tried power-line before; however, our house's wiring is horrendously old. Much of the wiring doesn't follow a logical pattern and isn't very reliable.

That's too bad. In that case, it appears that the TP-Link TL-WDN4800 linked by DarkXale would work. D-link pci-e adapters generally perform rather well. There's a second option there. The last wireless adapter I tried was a Linksys AE3000. It out performed all previous wireless adapters I tried. However, I ended up returning it for my new powerline set. :P

Before powerline, all my desperate attempts at researching the faster wireless solution at the time kept redirecting me to previous gen models of the AE3000 above all other adapters. Of course there is no telling what has changed since then.

[Frostea23]

That's too bad. In that case, it appears that the TP-Link TL-WDN4800 linked by DarkXale would work. D-link pci-e adapters generally perform rather well. There's a second option there. The last wireless adapter I tried was a Linksys AE3000. It out performed all previous wireless adapters I tried. However, I ended up returning it for my new powerline set. :P

Before powerline, all my desperate attempts at researching the faster wireless solution at the time kept redirecting me to previous gen models of the AE3000 above all other adapters. Of course there is no telling what has changed since then.

My laptops get 2-3x faster wireless download speeds in the same room as my desktop. So there is plenty of room for improvement via a new wireless adapter.

[Frostea23]

So the new adapter arrived; I am getting 75-80 mbps sustained download speeds. Much better than the old 35-40 mbps.

[yurano]

So the new adapter arrived; I am getting 75-80 mbps sustained download speeds. Much better than the old 35-40 mbps.

Which one did you purchase?

[Frostea23]

Which one did you purchase?

The one you can find linked up top in my original post, the Rosewill RNX-N600UBE.